Air heating assembly



June 28, 1938. c. M. WOOLLEY 2,122,168

I AIR HEATING ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fit -20 INVENTOR n W Aim;

Clarence M. Woolle nu 5 ml E c w 2 m z 3 9-- U D D Zia June 28, 1938. c. M. WOOLLEY AIR HEATING ASSEMBLY Filed 0st. 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Clarence M .Wool le 8Y 2 9 CBENEY HIS Patented June 28, 1938 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE American Radiator C a corporation of New ompany, New York, N; Y., Jersey Application October 12, 1935, Serial No. 44,707

Claims.

My present invention relates to temperature air conditioning radiator assembly.

An object of the present invention is the enhancement of output in heat energy of a radiator of any given effective surface area of heat exchange when supplied with any given heating medium.

An object of the present invention is the enhancement of the volume of circulation of the air of the interior of the room, or other space served by any given radiator supplied with a suitable heating medium.

Additional and/or other objects of the invention will appear as the disclosure thereof proceeds.

An essential structural feature of my invention resides in the combination of any given radiator having suitable surfaces for the exchange of heat energy when the radiator is supplied with a given heating medium, such surfaces including areas located in vertically extending channels, passages or other forms of communicating clearances, with a suitable motor-fan unit and conduit means of suitable volumetric capacity and construction conducting air under pressure from the casing of the fan and projecting the. same in heat exchange relation to such surfaces of the radiator. I

Desirably, the path of flow of the projected air is upwardly relative to the heat exchange surface of the radiator, to which end the discharge opening or openings of the conduit means are disposed below the radiator.

Advantageously, provision of means for enhancing the circulation, i. e., re-circulation of the air of the intefir oftheroom or other space served by the radiator, is effected by associating Venturi or other air entraining nozzles in coacting relation with the discharge opening or openings of the conduit means.

Further features and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view corresponding to Fig. 2, on a-reduced scale, embodying further improvements.

Referring to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings: I

The embodiment illustrated in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, comprises a radiator designated generally ID of suitable construction comprising in essentials a desired number of sections, individually designated lfia, embodying tubes Hlbprovided with appropriate. fins, such tubes communicating at their respective ends with the headers ll, I2, said sections Illa inclusive of their tubular portions Illb and fins being arranged to provide vertically extending passages I00, affording paths of flow of air therethrough in thermal exchange relation with the exposed faces of such tubes and fins.

In the type of radiator as illustrated, the supply of the heating medium, such as steam, is indicated by the piping l3', which may be provided with a shut-off valve l4. Preferably, as also shown in the drawings, the supply of a heating medium of the nature of steam is enhanced under condition of vacuum, effected by the indicated piping l5, shown provided with a steam trap H5, or equivalent.

Pursuant to the general purposes of my present invention, air under pressure is directed in operative relation with the stated passages lUc, effected by suitable instrumentalities comprising in essentials the following. As one suitable and convenient form of supply of air under pressure, I have indicated a fan l1, desirably of the indicated squirrel cage type, the shaft Ila of which is driven by a suitable motor l8, advantageously an electric motor. The discharge opening I9a of the fan casing l9 communicates with a conduit 20 provided with a plurality of nozzle members 2|, such conduit, inclusive of its discharge members having a volumetric capacity relative to the air compressing means for conducting and delivering air under pressure in suitable relation to the thermal exchange surfaces of the radiator.

Preferably, each discharge member, i. e., nozzle member 2| is of the reducingly tapered. type and having its discharge opening Zia. in substantial alignment with thecentral axis or mean central axis of the associated passages H10 betweenfadjacent tubes "lb of the radiator.

Desirably, as is shown in Fig. 3, each nozzle 2i is dimensioned at its discharge in correspondence to .the dimensions of its associated passage I00 between the radiator sections Illa.

In such arrangement, upon actuation of the fan l1, assuming the supply of the heating medium, air is withdrawn from the interior oi! the room or other space served by radiator l and projected through the conduit 20 and in turn through i the nozzles 2| upwardly through the passages I00 between and in heat exchange relation with the thermal exchange surfaces of the tubes and fins of the individual radiator sections Illa and thence discharged into the room or other space served by the radiator.

Desirably, the radiator and its appurtenant parts are enclosed in a cabinet 22, thus concealing the radiator and also the above referred to motor-fan assembly and their appurtenant parts. For effectiveness of operation, such cabinet is provided with suitable openings 22a for the inflow of air, and consequent circulation of the air of the interior of the room or other space, and also with suitable openings 22b for the discharge of heated air positively re-circulated relative to the interior of the room or other space.

Most preferably, and as is illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, re-circulation of the air of the room or other space is enhanced by the provision of aspirating nozzles 23, which may be of Venturi formations for entraining air over an enlarged zone afforded by the enlarged zone of the air ingress openings 22a of the cabinet as shown in Fig. l. The paths of flow of the air through the ingress openings 22a into and through the fan casing, thence through the conduit and the associated nozzles, and thence through the passages of the radiator, and eventually discharged through the egress openings 22b, are indicated by the arrows appended in Fig. 2.

For simplicity of assembly and symmetry of arrangement, the fan casing l9 and the motor l8 may be positioned side-by-side, thereby also attaining direct drive actuation by the fan motor IS, the conduit having a width dimension afiording such side-by-side positioning of the motor and fan and for the direct support of the latter by and upon the conduit 20, the wall 20?), see Figs. 2, 3 and 3a, being arcuately flared outwardly in the direction of projected flow-of the air through the discharge opening l9a' of the fan casing.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 5 follows in construction and operation the general principlesof the embodiment specifically shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and like parts are designated by like reference characters. The embodiment shown in Fig. 5 specifically comprises an arcuate deflector 24 for positively guiding the upwardly projected heated air toward the air egress openings 22b of the cabinet 22.

It is desirable to provide the cabinet with removable part or parts, to aflord inspection or adjustment, operation of the valve H, or the like, to which end the cover 22c is formed separable and therefore removable, and/or a removable panel 22d is provided in a side of the cabinet.

During the stage of non-operation of the fan or equivalent, assuming the supply of the heating medium. gravity, 1. e., convection currents of air resulting from heat exchange relation with the heating surfaces of the radiator are engendered comparable to the air flow ensuing with a conventional type of radiator; such gravity or convection air currents are afforded by the air ingress openings 22a and air egress openings 22b of the specific cabinet 22. The heating of the interior of the room or other space served by the'radiator, under the stated stage of mm operation of the fan or equivalent, provides for moderate heat output, the side-by-side positioning and the vertically extending, convergently tapered formation of the nozzles 2|, and their substantial alignment with the air passages in the radiator assembly, facilitating the thus engendered gravity air flow.

During the stage of non-supply of a heating medium and of the actuation of the fan or equivalent, the air of the interior of the room or other served space is re-circulated.

It is observed that the number of mechanically grouped radiator sections vertically super-posed and/or horizontally positioned may be selected as desired.

The period of actuation of the one or more motor-fan assemblies may be controlled by a manually operated switch, diagrammatically indicated at 30, which may provide for multiple speed actuation. Advantageously, such current controlling switch may be thermostatically responsive, most advantageously responsive thermostatically to differential temperature setting, as for example, providing for full speed of each motor-fan assembly for a set minimum temperature, half or other partial speed for a set intermediate temperature, and off for a set maximum temperature.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: I

1. The combination with a radiator provided with 'heat exchange surfaces disposed in horizontal side-by' side mutual relation to form vertically extending passages, of air compressing means, conduit means having volumetric capacity and arranged for conducting air under pressure delivered by said air compressing means, and nozzles communicating with said conduit means and individually disposed and directed in discharge flow in correspondence to and in substantial alignment with said horizontally side-byside mutually arranged, vertically extending passages.

2. The combination with a radiator provided with heat exchange surfaces disposed in horizontal side-by-side mutual relation to form vertically extending passages, of air compressing means, said air compressing means including a motor-fan assembly, conduit means having volumetric capacity and arranged for conducting air I under pressure delivered by said air compressing means, and nozzles communicating with said conduit means and individually disposed and directed in discharge flow in correspondence to and in substantial alignment with said horizontally side-by-side mutually arranged, vertically extending passages, said nozzles being provided with horizontally elongated and vertically convergently tapered discharge openings.

3. The combination with a radiator provided with heat exchange surfaces disposed in horizontal side-by-side mutual relation to form vertically extending passages, of air compressing means, conduit means having volumetric capacity and arranged for conducting air under pressure delivered by said air compressing means, nozzles communicating with said conduit means and individually disposed and directed in discharge flow in correspondence to and in substantial alignment with said horizontally side-by-side mutually arranged, vertically extending passages, and

Venturi means individually disposed in operative relation with said nozzles.

4. The combination with a radiator provided with heat exchange surfaces disposed to form side-by-side arranged, vertically extending passages, of air compressing means, said air compressing means including a motor-fan assembly, conduit means having volumetric capacity'and arranged for conducting air under pressure delivered by said air compressing means, nozzles communicating with said conduit means and individually disposed and directed to discharge air under pressure into and upwardly through such vertically extending passages respectively, air

' entraining means individually associated with said discharge nozzles for enhancing the circulation of the air of the room or other space served by the radiator, and an apertured .cabinet enclosing said radiator, said motor-fan assembly, said conduit means and said air entraining means. 5. The combination with a radiator provided with heat exchange surfaces disposed in horizontal side-by-side mutual relation to form vertically extending passages, of air compressing means, conduit means having volumetric capacity and arranged for conducting air under pressure delivered by said air compressing means, nozzles communicating with said conduit means and individually disposed and vertically directed to discharge the air under pressure into and through such vertically extending passages respectively and vertically extending air entraining means individually associated with said discharge nozzles for enhancing the circulation of the air of the room or other space served by the radiator.

CLARENCE M. WOOLLEY. 

